Ken GuentherAs missionaries, we pour our hearts and souls into the work God has called us to. We navigate new cultures, build relationships, share the Gospel, plant churches, train leaders, and manage countless practical tasks. It’s demanding, rewarding, and, quite often, overwhelming. Indeed, if someone asked, “What will be your biggest disappointment and frustration on the field?” many of us might honestly answer: What I haven’t accomplished – what is still left undone.
The sheer volume of need and opportunity can feel like a relentless tide, always threatening to pull us under. Consequently, we constantly face the pressure of the unfinished task list. It takes real courage, as counsellor Geoff Whiteman once noted in the context of work-life balance, to simply walk away from what is yet undone.
This is precisely where the ancient, yet perpetually relevant, practice of Sabbath comes in. Sabbath isn’t just about stopping work; rather, it equips us to deal with the reality of the undone. For instance, Whiteman told me that in his counselling experience, he rarely encountered individuals struggling significantly with work-life balance stress who were actively practicing Sabbath. Therefore, it seems most of us, especially those driven by a missional call, need to learn how to truly rest.
This blog article, consequently, is an invitation to explore the profound value of Sabbath. I want you to consider what it means for you personally, evaluate your current rhythms, and perhaps most importantly, plan to embrace this gift more fully.
Rooted in Creation and Redemption: The Biblical Heartbeat of Sabbath
The foundation for Sabbath goes back to the very beginning of the people of God. It echoes throughout God’s redemptive story. If we look at the Ten Commandments, for example, we find two slightly different accounts of the fourth commandment, offering complementary reasons for this sacred pause.
In Exodus 20, God links the command directly to Creation.
“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God… For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”
Exodus 20:8, 9, 11.
In this light, keeping Sabbath was a way for the Israelites, and for us, to remember that we belong to the Creator God. After bringing order out of chaos, God rested, delighting in His creation. Similarly, when we cease our work and dedicate this time to Him, we acknowledge His rightful place as King over everything, including our lives and our work. It’s a declaration that we are His people, holy – set apart – for Him.
Deuteronomy 5:12-15, on the other hand, offers another vital perspective, linking Sabbath to liberation.
Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.
Deuteronomy 5:12–15
Here, Sabbath serves as a powerful reminder of freedom. The Israelites were no longer slaves subject to the relentless demands of Pharaoh.
Creation and Freedom: Two Pillars of Sabbath Meaning
These two accounts, therefore, give us profound reasons for Sabbath observance. Firstly, we keep the Sabbath to remember that we belong to God. Just as God rested and enjoyed His rightful place as King after Creation, our Sabbath rest acknowledges His sovereignty over our lives. Furthermore, it reminds us that we are His holy people, people He has set apart for Him. Thus, we dedicate this day to worshipping Him and drawing closer to the One to whom we belong.
Secondly, we keep the Sabbath to remember that we are no longer slaves. Since God freed the Israelites from the endless toil of Egypt, they could stop working even when tasks remained. For us, similarly, Sabbath is a declaration of our freedom in Christ – freedom from the relentless drive to produce, freedom from the tyranny of the urgent, and freedom from the lie that our work defines us. In keeping Sabbath, we actively remember our Redeemer who freed us from the curse of non-stop labor.
Confronting Our Inner Taskmasters
Clearly, these two reasons remain deeply relevant for us today. When we keep the Sabbath, we declare both our dependence on God and our freedom from lesser masters. But who are your taskmasters? Is it perhaps the weight of expectation (from yourself or others)? The overwhelming needs you see? Or maybe the fear of falling behind? Could it be the lie that your worth is tied to your output? Mark Buchanan puts it powerfully in The Rest of God.
“The lie the taskmasters want you to swallow is that you cannot rest until your work’s all done, and done better than you’re currently doing it. But the truth is, the work’s never done, and never done right. It’s always more than you can finish and less than you had hoped for. So what? Get this straight: The rest of God — the rest God gladly gives so that we might discover that part of God we’re missing — is not a reward for finishing. It’s not a bonus for work well done. It’s sheer gift. It is a stop-work order in the midst of the work that’s never complete, never polished. Sabbath is not the break we’re allotted at the tail end of completing all our tasks and chores, the fulfillment of all our obligations. It’s the rest we take smack-dab in the middle of them, without apology, without guilt, and for no better reason than God told us we could.
The Rest of God, p. 93
Considering these points, which of these foundational reasons – belonging to God or freedom from slavery – resonates most deeply with you right now as you consider the pressures you face?
Jesus: Lord and Liberator of the Sabbath
Centuries later, Jesus confronted a religious system where leaders had turned Sabbath from a gift into a burden, laden with intricate rules. He famously declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28). With these words, Jesus reclaimed the original intent. Sabbath was never meant to be a measure of our piety or a legalistic hoop to jump through. Rather, God intended it as His gracious blessing upon His people.
As Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus then demonstrated its true purpose through His actions – often healing and doing good on that very day. In doing so, He showed that Sabbath was an opportunity to bring blessing, restoration, and the reality of God’s kingdom into people’s lives. It wasn’t about inactivity for its own sake, but about ceasing from our own striving to make space for God’s restorative work in us and through us. For us, therefore, embracing Sabbath is part of experiencing the salvation and kingdom life Jesus ushered in.
Have you ever felt Sabbath was more of a rule to follow or even a source of guilt rather than a joyful gift? If so, how can you lean into Jesus’ understanding and experience Sabbath as the blessing He intends it to be?
Sabbath in Our Missionary Context
As members of SEND International, our manual encourages us “to intentionally pursue a Sabbath lifestyle, balancing rest and work, and reserving one day a week for rest”. This isn’t just a suggestion; indeed, it’s rooted in wisdom for our health, sustainability, and spiritual vitality. This day of rest doesn’t have to be Sunday. In fact, it can be flexible, even split over two days if needed, and we shouldn’t approach it legalistically. The core principle remains intentional, regular cessation from work for the purpose of rest and connection with God.
Furthermore, how we practice Sabbath matters not just for ourselves and our families. It also serves as a model for those we serve and disciple. When we model healthy rhythms of work and rest, after all, we demonstrate a counter-cultural truth about the Kingdom of God – a kingdom not built on frantic human effort, but on God’s power and grace, enjoyed in His presence.
Diving Deeper: The Rich Purposes of Sabbath
Sabbath offers far more than just a break from tasks; it serves several crucial purposes in our lives:
1. To Receive Rest and Replenishment
This is perhaps the most obvious purpose. Our bodies need physical rest from labor, as Deuteronomy 5 explicitly includes servants and animals in the command to cease work. But beyond the physical, our souls need rest too. To this end, Jesus invites us, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). Sabbath is a primary way we accept this invitation. Additionally, this rest extends to our teams and families, fostering healthier relationships and shared rejuvenation.
2. To Remember Who and Whose We Are
In the busyness of doing, we can easily forget our fundamental being. Consequently, Sabbath calls us to remember our creatureliness – “he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14). It also reminds us of our cherished identity in Christ – “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession” (Deuteronomy 7:6). Essentially, stepping away from our roles and tasks allows us to reconnect with our core identity as beloved children of God.
3. To Pay Attention
Ministry demands constant output and attention to others’ needs. Sabbath, however, provides the space to shift our focus. As Mark Buchanan suggests,
Maybe that’s what God requires most from us: our attention… this is the essence of a Sabbath heart: paying attention. It is being fully present, wholly awake, in each moment.
The Rest of God, p. 50.
On Sabbath, then, we intentionally pay attention to God – delighting in Him, listening for His voice in ways that get crowded out during the week. Likewise, we pay attention to the people we love, nurturing relationships without the pressure of agendas. And we pay attention to God’s good gifts all around us – for instance, the beauty of nature, the pleasure of good food, the joy of life-giving hobbies. Ultimately, this cultivated awareness is central to the Sabbath experience.
4. To Be Transformed
Sabbath isn’t merely a pause that refreshes, it is the pause that transforms.
Walter Brueggemann
This transformation happens because Sabbath connects us to the ongoing work of salvation (our sanctification). It also aligns us with the rhythms of God’s kingdom. Specifically, by regularly stepping out of the world’s patterns of relentless production and embracing God’s pattern of rest and trust, this practice slowly but surely reshapes us into the image of Christ and helps us become better citizens of His upside-down kingdom. In short, making space for rest and attention is making space for God’s transforming work in our hearts.
Considering these four purposes, which one currently feels most neglected in your own life and practice of Sabbath?
Defining Your Sabbath: Making it Personal
Knowing the why behind Sabbath is essential, but the how certainly requires personal reflection. What truly makes time feel like Sabbath for you? That is to say, what activities restore your soul, help you connect with God and loved ones, and allow you to simply be? Conversely, what activities, even if seemingly restful, leave you feeling drained or still mentally “at work”? For example, many missionaries in language study have found that attending a worship service in another language is NOT part of Sabbath-keeping. I am not saying at all that you should not worship with your national brothers and sisters. But Sunday morning might not be part of Sabbath-keeping.
To determine this, consider the four purposes: rest/replenishment, remembering identity, paying attention, and transformation. What specific actions or inactions help you lean into these? One person might find Sabbath involves a long walk in nature and disconnecting from all devices. Another could experience it through unrushed time reading Scripture and journaling, followed by playing games with their family. Still someone else might engage in a creative hobby or share a leisurely meal with friends. Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all formula, but your Sabbath should intentionally differ from your workdays and lead towards God and restoration.
Planning Your Next Sabbath: An Act of Intentional Faith
Understanding and appreciation are good starting points, but the real value comes in practice. In MOP, I ask each of the participants to spend time in the session to plan their next Sabbath. Don’t just hope it happens; instead, make a simple plan.
Consider these questions to guide you:
- When will your Sabbath time be? (Be specific about the day or hours).
- What activities will help you rest, remember, pay attention, and be open to transformation? Also, what will you intentionally not do?
- How will you prepare?
- What or Who do you want to pay special attention to during this time? (Perhaps God, your spouse, your children, nature, or a specific aspect of your spiritual life).
Treat this planning not as another task, but rather as an act of faith – trusting God that the work can wait, that He is sovereign, and that resting in Him is not only permissible but essential.
Sabbath is God’s gracious gift to us, His busy, often-burdened children. It’s a rhythm woven into the fabric of creation and redemption, designed for our flourishing. Let’s learn to receive it, practice it, and consequently discover the profound rest and transformation it holds, even amidst the unfinished tasks of missionary life.
Recommended Resources:
- The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath by Mark Buchanan
- Embracing Rhythms of Work and Rest: From Sabbath to Sabbatical and Back Again by Ruth Haley Barton
